“Order up for table nineteen!” The now even more delicious smell of greasy fish and chips wafted through the barback.

“Be right there, Jacky!” I called back. A quick step brought me to the window and I trayed the tasty order for delivery to the soon-to-be happy customers. The opening act was playing a good beat and I was jiving along. It was friday night, the bar club was bumping, and people were happy. It made for an excellent time to be working. 

It was a full week after the day my life changed, I was back at work and loving every second of it. It had taken a couple days for people to get used to the catgirl waitress but I was just as good as I ever was at it, maybe even better. My newfound feline agility had saved me from a couple more embarrassing spills and allowed me to catch falling plates that would have left ruined food on the floor. Customers thought it was all a show and often applauded my efforts. 

Sarah, being one of my neighbors, had come over the very next day and demanded a fashion show. I was excited to comply. Allie came over a few times too, just so we could talk. Learning about ancient Greece from a direct source was quite the trip and hearing stories about my grandmother and mother growing up made me laugh a lot. Even my boss had stopped in the day after the change to see how I was doing and to make sure I was still willing to work.

Admittedly, just for fun, I did spend part of my time off just lazing about as a cat, especially when Allie was over. I laid in her lap and allowed her to pet me while I listened to her stories. Any time I took a nap, I found myself using my plushy to shift to cat form. It was just easier to sleep that way and there was an odd pleasure of finding a beam of sunlight on cloudless days. Sarah even humorously bought a cushy cat bed that I just put up in the window sill. 

All in all, I couldn’t be happier. 

After delivering the food, I watched the Ladies of Mt Helicon walk on stage, the opener having finished their act. While the openers had been good, I was perhaps a bit biased in saying that my goddess ancestor and her band were better still. The crowd in front of the stage grew as people moved from their tables for the headliner. 

The show started off a bit slower as the group warmed up, but quickly turned into exactly as everyone expected of the all girl group. The entire house was rocking by the time they caught their stride.

Things were going well for everyone, and then, during a quick break between songs, my sensitive ears heard a familiar voice over the house speakers.

“Hey Ari! Come and sing with me!” I turned and faced the stage where Allie was standing, grinning at me. My face flushed brightly and I waved my hands ‘no’.

Next thing I knew, she was right next to me, whispering in my ear. 

“Do you trust me?” I nodded hesitantly. “I promise it won’t be anything too crazy, just come up with me. You said you always wanted to sing on stage, here’s your chance.”

And so, still blushing, I allowed the muse to pull me to the stage, much to the delight of the crowd.

I was nervous, being on stage for the first time since I was a young child. It had always been my dream to do it, and suddenly it was thrust upon me. A second microphone and stand was moved in front of me.

Allie whispered a few words to her band that I couldn’t quite hear even with my ears and soon enough, the guitarist began strumming and the drummer put down a light beat. It took me a moment to recognize the tune. It seemed that myself and the crowd figured it out about the same time though and I almost laughed at the now familiar tune.

With the encouragement of my generations up great grandmother and a crowd beckoning, I let myself relax into the music as the lead singer picked up the first verse.

“Just a small-town girl, livin' in a lonely world

She took the midnight train goin' anywhere

Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit

He took the midnight train goin' anywhere”

With a nudge from my favorite singer turned found family, I took up the microphone. I was a touch shaky at first, but caught my stride and allowed myself to feel the magic in the music echo both around me and through my soul. Heart coming alive, my voice joined hers.

“A singer in a smoky room

The smell of wine and cheap perfume

For a smile, they can share the night

It goes on and on and on and on!”

And so it went, on and on as the song said, climaxing in a chorus that felt like the message of my life. Things may be rough for a time, but as the great artists once said:

“Don’t stop believin’!”

*Fin*